This research concerns itself with the mycotoxins produced by various species of Fusarium in nature, characterization, biosynthesis and action of these toxins formation of a mycotoxin reference center. The immediate objectives at hand are: determination of the structure and biological activity of three newly discovered derivatives of zearaelenone; two newly discovered derivatives of the trichothecene toxins; and four steroid like toxins from Stachybotrys atra. We are also studying the incorporation of C14O2 into zearalenone and the inhibition of its synthesis by VAPONA. We are attempting to determine which of the 34 naturally occurring derivatives of the trichothecene toxins are most often involved in field cases of mycotoxicosis. We are implementing a mycotoxin reference center consisting of a computerized mass spectral library of mycotoxins and natural products of fungi. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: Steele, J.A., C.J. Mirocha and S.V. Pathre. Metabolism of Zearalenone by Fusarium roseum Graminearum. Agric. & Food Chem., in press. Pathre, S.V., C.J. Mirocha, C.M. Christensen and J. Behrens. Monoacetoxyscirpenol: A New Mycotoxin Produced By Fusarium roseum Gibbosum. Agric. & Food Chem., in press.